I called Amer’s bodyguards. Vince called the bar’s management and paid for whatever remaining expenses we had. Pati ang tip sa mga maglilinis ng kalat ni Amer. So the “night out” I expected did not turn out the way I thought it would.

He’s sitting on the far left of the office. It was filled with black and white furniture. The cabinets were full of large books. Ang mga muwebles, kung hindi mukhang ruler, ay isang geometric figure naman. Even the frames of the small pots were 3D geometric figures. But this is not the time to be in awe with his talent for spaces and designs.

“Kape?” napapaos kong offer nang nakapasok ako.

I’m still tiptoing, without my slippers. Nagtatalo ang kaliwa at kanan kong kamay, nagkukurutan sa aking harap. I feel like a very confused child but I couldn’t care anymore now.

He’s on his swivel chair, with a Macbook in front and a pen in hand. His hair is a bit disheveled and he did not change his clothes. Bumaba ang tingin niya sa aking damit ngunit agad din namang umiwas ito at tumingin sa screen ng computer.

“Hindi naman ako iinom but you may leave it there,” he said coldly.
“Oh! Uh… Okay…” tumango rin ako at aambang aalis na pero nag-aantay na pigilan niya. But he only stood there waiting to get rid of me.

“Vince, about Zander’s kiss. It was nothing compared to yours.” Napapikit ako nang naalala ko ang halik niya sa akin. It was not slow. It was intense. At hindi ko alam kung bakit pinapangarap ko talagang halikan niya ako ng marahan na sa isipan ko’y ganoon ang ginagawa niya. “Mas masarap kang humalik sa kanya. But this is not to compare but to prove to you that I’m no longer interested in him, that even his kiss mean nothing to me-”

I don’t know which one to process first! The fact that Vince caught me rehearsing my lines! Fuck! Or that the water is ice cold that I’m instantly shivering! Or fuck! He closed the space between us with his large steps only to pull or tear my silky dress out of me!

When it was completed, he moved to get the papertowels near us. Kumuha ng ilang rolyo sa kamay at pinunasan ang tiyan ko, pababa.

I opened my closed knees to give him access to my inner thighs. Nabasa rin iyon ng tubig. He crouched a bit to slowly wipe it with the paper towel. I silently sighed when his rough fingers softly touched my thighs.

Lumapit na siya sa akin. My knees parted because of his frame. He crouched a bit that his breath reached my ears.

“Did he touch you anywhere?”

Umiling ulit ako, nanghihina. He’s like my kryptonite.

My only weakness.

My family taught me to be strong. They trained me to be resilient with anything or any problem. He’s the only person and problem I’m not resilient to. Iyong tipong kapag may problema ako sa kanya, hindi ako makakabangon. Mananatili akong lugmok. Gaya ng nararamdaman ko pagkalipas ng ilang taong ginawa ko iyon sa kanya. This is probably why I never found happiness in every waking pursuit in my life. Because I have a problem with him.

“One kiss then?” he whispered so soft like it’s a real big sin and he’s going to judge me for it.
Tumango ako.

I never thought I’d ache with the need to press myself against his iron-clad body. To feel his steel above me. Or maybe I did, I just didn’t know.

He muttered a curse and I knew his instincts won. He opened my mouth for a deeper kiss and his thumb moved closer and closer to the tender flesh between my legs. His white longsleeves shirt dropped on the floor as his kisses attacked me with so much power and intensity.

He softly pushed on the cleft between my thighs and I could almost hear the moist gushing in between it, wetting the cloth and his fingers.

He stopped again making me groan in anger.

“I would’ve asked your father to let me marry you if I’d stay a little longer on his firm. But for sure you’ll rebel and hate me more,” he whispered.
“What…” my mind is too haywired to think about anything other than his touches.
“Hinding hindi kita pipilitin sa kahit ano. Kahit gaano ko pa kagusto.”

I pulled him closer to me that the tip of my breasts reached his chest.

“Kung ganoon, Vince… Ako ba ang mamimilit ngayon?” I don’t think I ever heard myself use that kind of voice. It was very womanly. At may halo itong pagsusumamo at pagmamakaawa.

Pinulot niya ang longsleeves at ibinalot sa akin. Hindi ko alam kung anong mararamdaman ko. I felt so exposed to him. He covered me but why do I expect him to do something else? It was like a slap for my accussations of him years ago. Na pinilit niya ako kahit ang totoo ay pinagtakpan ko lang ang sarili kong mga kasalanan. It was like he proved it to me… to my face… that he would never do that to me. Kahit ngayon man!